Opinion: Can ‘disarmament’ solve the Manipur crisis? 

It’s been more than two months and the tragedy in Manipur continues to unfold. Both the warring groups, the Kuki-Zomi and the Meitei, will have their own versions of how the conflict began. At the moment, though, it appears that the Meitei narrative of the Kuki-Zomi side being illegal immigrants, drug peddlers, and terrorists is not getting much traction. This is not difficult to understand since dehumanising those who are considered enemies has been a classic example of how fascist ideology begins in its quest to purge those who they deem less than themselves. 

The whole state apparatus, security and civilian, can then assist in the goal of bringing about the ‘final solution’. Of course, there will be those from the Meitei who will claim that such a line of reasoning is highly dangerous and irresponsible. What is highly dangerous and irresponsible is how the dehumanisation of the Kuki-Zomi has been allowed to take place, especially over the last few years, which have culminated in this conflict. 

In fact, the modus operandi that has taken place in Manipur is such a classic tactic that has been used in so many places and at different times that it has become too banal to notice. What is different here in this case is the fact that both the warring groups are heavily armed, either for defence or attack, depending on whom you talk to.